5 Summer Carb Traps You Didn’t See Coming

It’s here! We made it!

Summer is all about relaxed backyard vibes, hot sandy beaches, and adventurous outdoor food shared with family, friends, and neighbors. But some of the most beloved seasonal eats (salads, burgers, and fruity patio punches) come with unexpected and galactically high carb loads.
For anyone watching their carbs, it can easily become the season of sneaky carb attacks, coming from seemingly healthy choices like a syrupy smoothie or sugary scoop of coleslaw.
Carbonaut to the rescue!
Let’s explore some ways to avoid falling into the carbivorous carb trap this summer.

Store-Bought Salads, dressings & croutons

Take the average store-bought pasta salad: a single scoop can pack 30–40 grams of carbs, even before the sweet dressing kicks in. Even seemingly simple staples like coleslaw can deliver over 15g of sugar per serving, depending on how it’s made. Add dressing and croutons, and that healthy salad turns into a carbivorous nightmare from outer space.
But we have a hack: our Savory Low Carb Croutons give your salad the crunch you crave, minus the sugar crash. And for dressing? A simple splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar brings tons of fresh flavor—without the sneaky sugar.
Need some inspo? Try our recipe for Everything Bagel Panzanella Salad!

hamburgers and hotdogs

Summertime backyard barbeques are the best, but standard hamburger and hotdog buns clock in around 25g of carbs per bun, alone.
Carbonaut Hot dog and Hamburger are a burger night game-changer: fluffy, satisfying, and low in number-conscious carbs, so you can enjoy the full BBQ experience without needing a mid-afternoon nap afterwards.
Let’s talk condiments.
Condiments and dressings can be full of hidden sugars and syrups which can easily derail even the best of intentions. Common sauces that include a ton of added sugars include ketchup (which contains high fructose corn syrup), barbeque sauce (which is often sweetened with molasses and brown sugar), hot sauce and mayo.
Instead, opt for sugar-free hot sauces, plain yellow mustard, guacamole, wasabi, and horseradish.

Tacos, Quesadillas, and Other Poolside Handhelds

Our soft and delicious tortillas are built for wrap nights. For Taco Tuesdays and Pinwheel Potlucks. For home dinners, picnic lunches, and post-meal treats.
They’re a straight swap for the conventional high carb versions, which can pack 25-30 g of carbs each and that’s before the fillings or sides to dip in.
As an added bonus, our tortillas are also high in fiber, which can help avoid extra bloat around the pool deck. Available both in Original and Gluten Free, these tortillas will have all your carb loving friends asking where to find them.

The (Summertime) Breakfast Club

Think summery fruit salad, traditional bagel + lox, and fresh waffles. These sound innocent enough but think again.
Fruit (although healthy) is typically high in carbs unless it’s naturally lower in fructose and super high in fiber. Most berries fall into this category, so if you’re going to eat fruit, choose blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. (And aim for no more than ¼ cup per serving.)
The average bagel has up to 50 grams of carbs, but luckily you can swap for a Carbonaut bagel to ensure the net carbs remain low.
Try our (Gluten-Free) Bagel + (Mock) Lox recipe

Patio Punches and Mocktails

That chilled summer cocktail may be hiding just as much sugar as a can of soda (or more). Many contain simple syrups, juices, smashed fruit, and artificial flavoring agents that are extremely high in sugar.
Instead, drink sugar-free soda and flavor with citrus, cucumber or mint for a low carb fancy-feeling patio drink. If you’re feeling experimental, try herbs like basil, thyme, or rosemary. These plants offer wonderful aroma and natural flavor, as well as many medicinal health benefits!
Zero carbs, all the taste.
It’s no wonder people start to feel sluggish mid-season—especially when those carbs spike and energy levels crash. But staying low carb in summer doesn’t have to mean skipping the foods you love—it just takes a smarter swap!

I’m a doctor in Ottawa and wanted to thank you for your products. I recommend them a lot to my patients who are battling metabolic syndrome, diabetes, weight management issues and more. It is difficult to convince patients to limit their carbohydrate intake and choose more fibre-rich and protein-rich options, but the Carbonauts line makes my job easier.
– Owen, Ottawa

Summer’s too short to feel weighed down—or left out. Stay cool, stay full, and stay number conscious. Browse our summer-ready recipes for endless ideas.

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